SuperSport United interim coach Andre Arendse expressed his delight at the return of experienced defender Thulani Hlatshwayo, who featured in the goalless draw against Cape Town City at New Peter Mokaba Stadium on Sunday.

This marked Hlatshwayo’s first appearance of the year, a crucial moment in the team’s fight for survival.

The former Orlando Pirates defender’s last match was against Chippa United in November. He subsequently faced an injury layoff, returning to fitness in February. Despite his recovery, he struggled for game time under recently dismissed coach Gavin Hunt.

“The first thing I did was to understand what is it going to take to get us through this challenge, and the answer came up that I have to rely more on my experienced players, and Tyson [Hlatshwayo] is one of those,” Arendse said.

“He is a club man, he is a football legend to be honest, he is a good leader, and I needed those in the team tonight. So, I didn’t think more about bringing him back because we work very well with him during the week.

“He offers the team in tactical areas, and also especially in set-pieces. He did a great job in leading the back four and made things much easier for Goss, so he is always be an important player for the team.”

SuperSport United, currently 15th in the Betway Premiership, are facing a relegation battle. Arendse emphasized their determination to fight until the end of the season.

“Character will be needed now, and I’m going to give each one a chance to take us back in our winning ways,” he stated.

“The character and the fight, that’s what I think we need, and it’s still there. They [players] also have to have the self-belief to take us out of this challenge, and I see it coming.

“We just need to monitor, manage, and navigate the games coming. I think that will be important, and I have to look at the squad and understand what we need for everyone to give a game time.” ‎